Tessa Henderson - October 2120
"Are we sure about this?" I ask, leaning against the car, my fingers brushing the smooth metal as I watch Ethan and Issac load a box into the back.
Ethan looks up and gives me that half-grin, the one that usually means he's masking the same doubt I see behind his eyes. "We've so got this" he says. But the tight line at his jaw tells me otherwise. It doesn't inspire confidence, but I don't let it show.
Thomas comes over, passing each of us a pair of earpieces so small and subtle they could disappear in a shadow. I slip mine in, feeling the cold metal press lightly against my ear.
"Luckily, Noah provided most of the equipment we need to make this mission succeed" Thomas says, his voice clipped, professional. I nod, though my mind is already running through contingencies. Noah's equipment is reliable, but no tech can replace careful timing and precise moves.
Issac slams the boot shut, and all eyes turn toward Thomas and Edmund.
"Don't stray from the plan, okay?" Thomas fidgets, a small motion, but enough to show he cares more than he lets on.
Edmund's hands are clasped behind his back, calm as ever. "If anything goes wrong, I want you to leave as soon as possible. Don't risk your lives." His tone is even, but heavy with meaning. I already know he trusts us, he wouldn't say it otherwise, but he isn't wrong. Survival is priority number one.
Silence falls over us, thick and tense. The weight of the mission presses down, a constant reminder that one misstep could be the last. I feel the familiar pull in my chest, the instinct I've always lived by, get out before things go wrong. But my eyes flick to Ethan, and that thought vanishes. He won't get far without me, and I can't let him run headlong into danger alone.
"Don't worry," he says, flashing that grin again, trying to lighten the mood. His confidence is contagious, even if I know it's a mask. "We'll be back as soon as possible"
I allow myself the faintest curve of my lips in return. Not a full smile, he doesn't need that, but acknowledgment.
Edmund's expression softens into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "Good luck" he says.
We exchange our silent goodbyes, the kind that say more than words ever could. I take a deep breath, letting the cool night air fill my lungs. Every muscle in me is ready, every sense alert. This mission is dangerous. It's supposed to be dangerous.
We climb into the car. The engine hums beneath us, steady and dependable. Around us, the night is still, heavy with expectation. Everyone is tense, waiting, minds already running scenarios a dozen steps ahead.
I glance down at my watch. An hour until we reach our first destination. An hour to review plans in silence, to double-check the earpiece, to run through exits and contingencies. My hand drifts to the console, tracing a subtle pattern of the dashboard. I always do this small motions to remind myself I'm present, in control.
Ethan reaches over, lightly touching my hand, a silent reassurance. It's brief, almost insignificant, but enough to anchor me. Enough to remind me why I won't leave, no matter how much my instincts beg me to.
We're on our way. And I'll get us through this. One lock, one door, one moment at a time.
_________________________________
Issac pulls the car up beside a narrow, hidden road. We all step out, boots crunching lightly against the gravel. The night is quiet, too quiet, and my instincts prick at me.
"He should be here any moment" I say, glancing at my watch.
Issac lifts the box from the back of the car and sets it on the hood. The metal clicks open to reveal a circular device, sleek and humming faintly. My eyes scan it instinctively. I note how easily it could be hidden in plain sight.
Ethan leans forward slightly. "Get ready. He'll be here in two minutes."
We crouch low, pressed close to the roadside embankment. Issac grips the device, ready. My fingers twitch slightly, not from nerves, but anticipation.
A car rounds the corner, headlights cutting through the darkness, exactly as Ethan predicted.
"Hold" Ethan whispers.
When the vehicle is close enough, he pats Issac on the back. On cue, Issac hurls the device onto the road. It lands perfectly under the car's path. I watch the magnet snap onto the chassis, feeling a quiet satisfaction as electricity dances along the metal, and the engine sputters to a halt.
The car stops. The night suddenly feels heavier, thicker. I already know the next moments will be delicate.
The door opens, and a guard steps out, gun drawn, scanning the area. He moves cautiously, circling the car, testing for anomalies.
Ethan gives a slight nod. A second later, Issac aims his gun at the guards head and a second later he collapses instantly. No noise. No struggle.
We move in immediately. I reach for the car door... locked, of course. My fingers brush the handle, and I activate my power. Within a heartbeat, the mechanism yields, and the door swings open silently.
"Who-who are you?" a voice calls from inside.
"Dr Williams, so nice to see you again" Ethan says smoothly, a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.
"012? What are you doing here?" Williams' eyes dart between us, wide and trembling, fear evident in every twitch.
"I apologise, but I'm going to need your car and ID," Ethan continues, still smiling, calm and measured.
Issac reaches in and pulls the older man out, throwing him roughly onto the ground. I step forward, pulling a pen from my pocket. Without hesitation, I plunge it into his neck. A faint hiss escapes, and within seconds, Williams goes limp, unconscious but alive.
"Should we just kill him?" Issac asks, half joking, half practical.
Ethan shakes his head. "No. He's just a dumb scientist."
We tie Williams up and lift him into the back of our car.
Ethan straightens. "Well, step one went off without a hitch. Time for step two."
I shrug off my coat and toss it into the car, keeping my movements smooth. I check the mirror quickly, fixing my hair, smoothing the collar of my shirt. My outfit isn't my usual, work trousers and a tucked-in shirt, but it will have to do. I push the glasses into place, adjusting them just so.
I catch Ethan and Issac trying to hide smiles.
"What?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing," Ethan waves his hands, trying to play it off. "It's just-"
"You really look like you could have been an assistant" Issac laughs outright now.
I sigh, shaking my head. "Instead of watching me, shouldn't you two be getting ready?"
Issac moves to Williams in the back of the car, placing a hand lightly on his head. Ethan bends over the dead guard, stripping the uniform and fitting it over himself, pulling a mask out the car and putting it on to obscure his features.
I take a final moment to adjust my shirt and gloves, running my eyes over the team. An assistant, a guard, and a shapeshifting Dr Williams, perfectly disguised.
The mission has begun.